A busy year!

I have not updated much due to many circumstances. We moved into a larger home in a nicer town with far better schools for the kids. We have been without a computer for quite some time and blogging on a smartphone is exercise my thumbs prefer not to do. I lost my dear grandpa that was more of a father and I miss him dearly. I continued home daycare for a small period of time and then closed it up to teach Kindergarten enrichment for a short period of time before moving to my current position as a pre k teacher for a non profit daycare.

I am excited about my current teaching job as it focuses on the child's entire family. Tuition is based on income, a clothing and food pantry are on site, and social services are available as needed. It is a great way for me to teach and also make a difference.

Brad finished his 8th grade year playing basketball and did a great job. He is now a freshman and is gearing up for his first baseball double header.

 

 

Chloe just completed cheerleading and did a great dance routine at state competition. They were awesome! I can't wait to see how well she does next year!

 

 

 

 

Johnny had perfect attendance last year which he was very proud of. This year he has started playing drum as he finishes his last year of elementary school. He is super creative and designed his new dresser. He picked out the fabric for the drawers, paint color, army stickers, and drawer pulls. The picture doesn't show all the pulls installed but you get the idea. It turned out wonderfully.

 

 

 

 



Couponing 101

Due to many asking how I save money on groceries and have grown my stockpile, I thought Id write a blog entry instead of sending individual emails out. My savings were not seen as much the first year as I was still stocking up. By the second year, I had started to see drastic savings because I was not needing to shop for as many items. I will go into detail but do not get disheartened if at first you don't see a difference.

1. Buy a Sunday paper.  I usually buy 1 paper a week or 2 if there are really good deals. Check out www.sundaycouponpreview.com and it will show you what coupons to expect. Be aware some Sundays there are no coupon inserts. I also will grab coupon inserts out of recycling bin when I am dropping off my recycling but only if reachable. I do not dive in. There are coupons available to print online as well. I personally stopped using them because they use a lot of printer ink.
2. Organize your coupons. I use little accordion coupon files that are found at dollar stores or in office supply area of Walmart. I have 2. One for food and one for cleaners, toiletries, dog food, etc. You can opt to use a binder with baseball card holders if you wish. I find it impractical. I like to take my coupons with me to store in case there is a clearance on an item that was not advertised. I don't want to carry a book but I don't mind tossing the coupon "wallets" into my purse. Remember if you don't feel comfortable carrying it around you probably wont use it. Im not embarrassed to use coupons but I don't want to look like a freak walking around with a binder. If you want to be a freak that is your choice. Lol!
3. Retail store and drug store ads come out on Sunday and grocery store ads come out on Wednesday. All ads can be found online so do not feel like you need to buy a paper. I find it easier to have the paper just because it is tangible but I switch back and forth depending on how accessible the paper is to me at the time. My mail will sometimes bring ads a few days late.
4. Before I look thru the ads. I cut out any new coupons. Then I go thru my organizer and toss any expired weekly. When deciding which coupons to cut, I suggest overlooking the brand. I don't care which brand cereal or cookies I buy. I care about price. Also you will see as you go that some things you would never buy you can get incredibly cheap or free. I pick these items up and donate to local food pantry. Also if I have a lot of an item and we don't seem to be moving thru it very quickly I will donate some of that item as well. When you give, you will receive.
5. As you look thru ads, see if there are any sale items that match coupons you currently have. That is usually your best price. I suggest in your first year keeping a price book. Write down what item you bought and how much you paid got it after coupon, that way you can compare prices down the road and know if it is a good deal or not. If Campbells tomato soup is on sale for 59c a can and you have a coupon for 40c off 4 cans, you will be paying 49c a can at register. Some grocery stores double coupons, so that same deal of soup at 59c a can with a coupon that went from 40c off 4 cans to 80c off 4 cans, is now 39c a can. If you have multiple coupons stock up. Soup lasts a long time on a shelf and can be used in lots of recipes. Some stores and coupons have limits so be aware of that and just go back in store multiple times if need be or have kids and hubby buy items.
6. As I search thru ads, I use an envelope as a shopping list. I write down which items I am getting, I write the store price and circle it, and next to that I write my final price after coupon. I use an envelope per store. I circle the price so I can make sure it is accurate when I am picking up an item and if I end up at Walmart I can pricematch the item if I don't have time to go to multiple stores. Walmart will not double coupons so make sure you go to those grocery stores. By using the envelope method, all your coupons a re ready to go at the register. You can bring your other coupons with you just in case a deal pops up but you wont be spending hours in the store hunting down your original deals.
7. Some deals are just awesome! If Sunny D is 99c each. I will buy 10 without a coupon because it is a great stock up price. When shredded cheese is $1.49 a pack I will buy 10 and throw them in the freezer. If there is something on sale that you use at a good price. Buy lots of it. You don't have to have a coupon. Most of my deals are without coupons. I try and buy as much as possible.
8. The secret to a stockpile is to buy as much of an item as you can afford when it is at a great price. If you have 10 bottles of ketchup from a summer sale of 49c a bottle, then you don't need to pay $2 for a bottle in December when it is not on sale. If you buy a ton of school supplies in August when everything is pennies, then come January you are not paying full price for crayons when your child needs more, or full price for Kleenex when you get sick. This helps you save money later.
9. A year later, you will see that your grocery bill is severely slashed. You will be buying perishables, odd ball items you are out of, and stocking up on sales. It is so much nicer to know you stocked up on a years worth of laundry detergent at 99c a bottle and not need to pay $6 a month on it later.
10. Lastly find out what is free. I have lots of toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, popcorn, and hand soap that was free. These items go on sale at $1 ea many times throughout the year and there are many 50c off coupons for these items that will double making them free. I get as many as I have coupons for and whatever I can not use I send to local food pantry. Different stores will have different $1 items so watch for them.

If you have any questions feel free to comment and I will try and cover them. If there is anything you want to know in further detail let me know.

Summer Lunchbug

    This summer I partnered up with Shelly McKaig and helped feed lunch to hungry kids in Baldwin City. I mostly helped with obtaining funding and helped serve when I was available. This started out as a project of Ives Chapel Methodist Church but due to their skewed perception on world views it became a continuation of the lunchbug program. See link for more details.

 

Lunchbug article

Craft Room

    I recently converted our junk room into a craft room. I needed a space to sew and scrapbook. I started by painting the old paneling a light green color. I reused some old kitchen cabinets by using as base of my new counter space. I took a sheet of plywood and cut down the middle. I stacked them on top of each other with some old boards as buffers. The space between is great for storing things. I painted all the wood pink. I purchased some outdoor fabric on sale and turned into drapes and valance. I then accessorized the space. The other end of the room is open for the kids to use.

80's Girl Night

     I recently went with Chloe to her mother/daughter girls nite at her school. They had a spot to do your hair and nails. There was dancing and singing. It was a fun night to dress up to.

The World's Most Intriguing Questions

   

     The world is full of mysteries and unknowns. Humans have always been searching for answers to the world's most vast puzzles. Please help me decipher the mysteries below. If you have any clues or thoughts towards the answers please help out humanity and comment below.


1) How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

     The closest I have come to an answer is as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. Also Geico has video of this phenomenon.
Geico woodchuck video

2) Mystery meat

    Where does mystery meat come from? Why is it fed to school children? Is it the same meat used at Taco Bell?

Click for fun video

3) Why are snuggies so popular?
   
    It's a robe worn backwards. Everyone has one. My kids have multiples. Why are these a staple in American homes? Even worse...( sorry for the pause. I was chilly and needed to get my snuggie.)... why do they sell them for pets?

snuggie parody

Please help me in my quest for answers.

10 Things To Do When The Power Goes Off

1. Grab some crayons and coloring books. Coloring with the family is fun and relaxing.
2. Shadow puppets. Make up a story and go with the moment.
3. Cook on the fire pit. Hotdogs and smores are always yummy!
4. Clean out the fridge and let the freezer thaw. Not fun but necessary.
5. If the sun is out, craft. Work on scrapbooks or woodworking projects with simple tools.
6. Chit Chat. The best conversations are those without distractions.
7. Escape. Go for a long drive, weather permitting.
8. Exercise.
9. Play cards or board games.
10. Snuggle with your lover.

Jobs Worth Considering

 Looking for a job? What jobs are the best? Which will I enjoy? I was thinking about this and came up with a few interesting career choices.

Maid:  What better job than cleaning other people's houses? Yes, cleaning is tedious. I hate it and definitely don't want to clean up after other people's filth. However, I do love to snoop. Curiosity is a wonderful motivator. Who wouldn't want to have the option of rifling through other people's items in the guise of cleaning? What wonderful and scary things you may learn about different people. It's intriguing and would keep my interest.

Window Washer: Same premise as maid but different angle. I like the whole outside looking in thing. Lots of rooms are covered and the work is easier but a tad more dangerous. OK, really dangerous, but who says hanging from bungee cords and harnesses is a part of their job. Very thrilling.

Collections: I'm a bit sadistic. Calling people and harassing them about bills they have no money for is pointless. Listening to their rage could be entertaining. It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it.

Airport Security Screener: The best way to drive people crazy. Make them take off their shoes, throw away their shampoo, ask them ridiculous questions. Fun!

Valet: The best way to decide on what car to purchase next, try them all. Better yet, get paid to try them all.

So what other crazy jobs could be made fun? Leave a comment and let me know.

Outer Space Bedroom

    My son is currently into all things space. He loves star wars. He wanted a room to reflect his love for space. We started out by painting the walls a gray color that he chose. His furniture is black metal. The best feature is his space wall.

    I painted the upper half of his wall a glossy black in the shape of a windshield. He chose some pictures from a book of stars, planets, and galaxies that he liked. I made color copies and cut them out. I then decoupaged them to the wall. We used glow in the dark paint to make some stars. I simply used a fat marker and dipped the end in the paint and dotted the space area and his ceiling. It looks really fun in the dark.

    We bought a remote operated moon nightlight that hangs in space. He can change the phase of the moon by remote and it has a sleep function for night. It's educational and fun.

   He later added Star Wars wall clings, which makes it a bit cartoony but being his room, it's his choice.

   Lastly, what astronaut doesn't have a control panel? I had 2 steering wheels meant for outdoor play equipment. We attached them to a simple wood frame to make a dashboard. My son then painted and added buttons. We found a speedometer sign in a decor shop that works as a perfect accent piece. The seat is from a footstool destined for the dump. I bought new foam and covered it in spacey material and it is a soft place for him to sit.

Click Here to see Star Wars Villains Visit

Brad Wins Essay Contest

 

     Brad entered the "If I Were Mayor, I Would..." essay contest and competed against other seventh graders. He won 1st place and was asked to read his essay to the Ottawa City Commissioners and Mayor. He received $80 cash as a prize.

Click Here for Brad's essay followed by runners up

Click Here for Commission Meeting Video: Brad speaks about 5 minutes in

                                              If I Were Mayor
                                                  Brad Harris

    If I were mayor, I would do things to improve the city of Ottawa. I would make it appealing to the over 12,000 people who live here.

    The first thing I would look into as mayor is modifying stoplights so they can react to the opticons on ambulances. Not all stoplights in town have sensors to react to these invisible waves of light, but it is vital. Opticons are little lights that send invisible patterns to a stoplight sensor and turns the light green so emergency vehicles can respond to an emergency quicker. This could end up saving lives.

    The next thing I would cut the red ribbon on is getting an Arby's to move to Ottawa. An Arby's could boost economy with job openings and help the town's tourism. As a student at Ottawa Middle School I have noticed that kids my age would really appreciate an Arby's. I'm sure adults would too. In order to perform this operation we will most likely need to talk to the head of the Arby's-Wendy's corporation. We will tell them about our popular location on I-35. Many customers would go there because it is easily accessible from the highway.

    The last thing Ottawa needs is a shelter for the homeless. It can be paid for by tax money and could help financially challenged families to get back on track. I have learned over 60 families in Ottawa don't have a place to call home. This will end, with me as mayor.

Sledding Adventure

    We recently went sledding for the first time. We joined up with our aunt, cousins, and a few friends. We didnt have any sledding gear so we invented some things. Our fave was sledding down on old pool plastic. We can't wait to go out again after the newest snowstorm.

Chloe sledding on her daddy Scott

Scott wiping out on snowboard

Chloe sledding on pool

Johnny on snowboard

Johnny wiping out on snowboard



Johnny eating snow



Chloe on pool

Chloe zipping along

My turn on the pool

Chloe

Johnny on wooden sled

Johnny zipping by baby Hayden watching from her bin.

Brad and I on the pool

Too much fun.

Cole on snowboard

Johnny on wooden sled

Taylor and Ellie on wooden sled.

Cole on a plastic chair

Cole again

Chloe catching a ride with Johnny

Brad on wooden sled

Brad again

Brad, Chloe, and Johnny

Johnny Visits the Villains of Star Wars

    The Ottawa Library recently hosted the Villains of Star Wars. Johnny was super excited as he loves that stuff and he got to have his picture taken with them. He later ran home to put on his Darth Vader costume and went back for a few more pictures.

Johnny in costume with Darth Vader

Johnny with Imperial Guard

Johnny with Clone Trooper

Johnny with Boba Fett

Scott being arrested by Boba Fett

Johnny with Storm Trooper

Johnny with Darth Vader

Johnny discussing weapons with Boba Fett

Johnny with Boba Fett